Muses: Jean Ross

Episode Summary

Jean Iris Ross was born in 1911 in Alexandria, Egypt to a Scottish father and a wealthy industrialist's daughter. As a teenager, Jean rebelled against her family and school, getting herself expelled at age 16. She went to Berlin in the early 1930s seeking acting work but found only small roles and worked as a model and cabaret singer instead. It was in the cabaret scene that she met writer Christopher Isherwood. Though they were not romantically involved, Jean's free-spirited nature inspired Isherwood's character Sally Bowles in his novella "Goodbye to Berlin," later adapted into the musical "Cabaret." In her time in Berlin, Jean lived a hedonistic lifestyle but also became pregnant and nearly died getting an illegal abortion. As the Nazis rose to power, she fled to England in 1933. There, Jean joined the Communist Party and, with her partner Claude Coburn, began writing political articles. When the Spanish Civil War broke out, they stayed to report on it. After Claude abandoned her and their infant daughter, Jean settled into life as a single mother and serious journalist, though she was uncomfortable with her glamorized alter-ego Sally Bowles. Jean went on to have a long career as a political activist and journalist. She died in 1973 at age 61, shortly after the film version of "Cabaret" reignited interest in her as the real-life inspiration for Sally Bowles. The public was fascinated by Sally's sexuality and hedonism, but Jean wished to be remembered for her politics and journalism.

Episode Show Notes

Jean Ross (1911-1973) inspired the character Sally Bowles, the cabaret singer in Christopher Isherwood’s novel, Goodbye to Berlin, as well as the musical adaptation, Cabaret. Where fictional Sally was untroubled and naive, her real-life counterpart was driven, politically-engaged, and curious.

Episode Transcript

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Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanaca. This month, we're talking about Muses, women who were drivers of creativity and inspiration. Today's muse inspired the character Sally Bowles, the cabaret singer in Christopher Isherwood's novel, "'Goodbye to Berlin' and the musical adaptation, "'Cabaret'', where fictional Sally was untroubled and naive. Her real life counterpart was driven, politically engaged, and curious. Let's talk about Jean Ross. Jean Iris Ross was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 1911. Her father was Scottish and worked in the cotton industry. Her mother was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist. Throughout Jean's childhood, the family lived in luxury. Then, Jean was sent back to England for school. She was miserable. By the time Jean was 16, she'd had enough. She faked a pregnancy and got herself expelled. The next few years were a revolving door of experimentation, going to finishing school in Switzerland, a short stint at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, a small role in a low-budget film called, Why Sailors Leave Home. Jean wanted to find more acting roles and heard a production company in Germany was hiring. So when she was 19 years old, she made her way to Berlin. In the early 1930s, Berlin was in the final years of a creative golden age. Theater, art, literature, sociology, psychoanalysis, science, it was all blooming in Germany's capital city. And Jean wanted to be at the center of it. But like Sally Bowles, the character she would inspire, Jean's dreams of being an actress remained dreams. Instead, she found work modeling for magazines and singing, though not very well, at cabarets. It was there in the club scene that she met Christopher Isherwood. Christopher was a young writer who was exploring his sexuality as a gay man in Berlin. He and Jean shared a flat and became intimately close. He later wrote that they were like siblings, platonically sharing a bed when their apartment became too crowded. Jean and Christopher anchored a crew of young British expat artists, many of whom were rebelling against their wealthy parents. Jean, with her huge eyes, her wit, and her sexual fearlessness, enchanted their circle of friends, as the only woman she delighted in shocking them with stories of her romantic exploits. But soon Jean became pregnant. Christopher posed as her partner in order to help her get an abortion. She nearly died from the procedure. When Christopher went to visit her in the hospital, he was met with disgust from the nurses. Word had spread that he was the father. How could he have put her through this? In reality, the father was a German actor. This tragic comedy of errors would become the climax of Christopher's novella, Sally Bowles. That story would later anchor his novel Goodbye to Berlin about the rise of fascism during the last years of Germany's Bohemia. While Jean was recovering from her abortion, the Nazi party began to take over Berlin. By 1933, Jean had fled to England. Back in London, Jean joined the Communist Party. Around this time, she met Claude Coburn, a British journalist. Jean also began writing about politics. The couple was on vacation in Spain when the Spanish Civil War broke out in 1936. Instead of fleeing, they stayed to report. Jean filed stories for the Daily Express, and Claude wrote for the Daily Worker. When he began fighting alongside the Spanish Republicans, Jean would file stories for the Daily Worker too, publishing under Claude's name. Jean was an anti-fascist political activist for the rest of her life. She also continued her love for the arts. She spoke fluent German, and she used that skill to help German directors in exile produce films. She also served as the film critic for the Daily Express. Her pen name was Peter Porcupine. In 1939, Jean and Claude had a daughter, Sarah. Just a few months later, Claude abandoned the family. Jean settled into her life as a serious journalist, political activist, and devoted single mother. Meanwhile, Christopher Isherwood's novella Sally Bowles entered the public sphere. From the get, Jean was uncomfortable with her reincarnation as Sally. Sally was hedonistic and flighty and aloof, even as Nazis began marching through the streets. This characterization was a far cry from the person Jean had become. The novella led to a novel, which later was adapted into multiple stage productions, including Cabaret. In 1972, Bob Fosse revived the story again when he directed a film adaptation. Liza Minnelli famously played the part of Sally Bowles in a portrayal that reignited the public's interest in Jean. Jean's daughter, Sarah, later recalled that journalists would often come to their door wanting to talk about sex, but Jean wanted to talk about politics. In 1973, Jean died. She was 61 years old. All month, we're highlighting muses. For more information, check us out on Facebook and Instagram at Womanica Podcast. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. Talk to you tomorrow. SPEAKER_07: AT&T and Verizon lure you in with their best phone offers, only to lock you into a three-year phone contract, not at T-Mobile. Now, with T-Mobile's best Go 5G plans, upgrade when you want. Every year or every two, you decide. Visit T-Mobile.com to take charge of your upgrades. SPEAKER_00: Get two-year financing on Go 5G Plus and Next. One-year upgrade on Go 5G Next requires financing new qualifying device and upgrading in good condition after six plus months with 50% paid off. Upgrade ends financing in any promo credits. See T-Mobile.com. 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